So, I have a Saracen Hack. For years it was my #dirtydropbargoodness and commuter bike; had great times on it, and it's served me well on local trails as well as Dirty Reiver, 3PCX etc. I loved that bike.
But then along came my Ti Pickenflick. Which I ride almost all the time. It's lighterer, poppier, funerer, fasterer. The Hack was mudguarded and racked, designed to be my commuter-only (and winter-road) bike. But I've ended up using the Pickenflick almost all the time, and the Hack has probably been used a dozen times at most in the last 15 months, for properly wet commutes, or if I'm going somewhere dodgy ...
So it's been sat, unused, unloved, in the garage, for most of the time. Part of me feels a little guilty, we've had good times, but now I've traded her in for a younger, fitter model. But also, I think, what a waste ... A bike, sat, unloved and unused, the antithesis of n+1 ...
It's quite a heavy bike. It's got a creaky BB. And a dodgy back brake. And it's always been just a little bit too big for me. The BB and the brake I can sort. But what else can I do to 'spice' things up so I want to ride it again ...?
It still needs a rack & guards for the sloppy commutes. And it needs not to have much money spent on it.
Was thinking of SS-ing it and fitting 37c Continental Speed Cross tyres so it should still roll ok on the road but still be a bit capable off the beaten track.
WWSTWD?
Reckon you have your answer.
Singlespeed, treaded 37/40 tyres maybe with a smooth centre strip, rack, guards sounds ideal for that.
So long as the sizing isn't too far out but sounds like it's more than ridable.
Had a similar phase with my Kaffenback. Tried the SS thing even put some bull horns on.
More recently I've taken it in a more retro direction and removed all but necessary. Binned the discs and rack, fitted 1 x 9, steel fork, marathons. Still weighs a ton but is totally bombproof.
The simplity makes it more interesting to ride, admittedly SS would be simpler still but SS is just not fun IME.
Binned the discs and rack, fitted 1 x 9
1x (10) is a possibility.
Need to keep the discs & rack though.
I like SS (have a SS HT).
What gearing for rolling commuting (Leeds, can avoid too steep climbs) but it is up & down wherever you go)? My MTB is 32/17, but for mostly road use, what would I need? Can I use existing Tiagra chainset (or have an XT chainset in the garage).
Sell it.
What other bikes do you have?
Sell it.
What other bikes do you have?
No point selling it. It would fetch £150 Max, probably less. So, for all its lack of use, it's still worth more to.me than that. I still need it as a commuter on shitty rainy days, or when doing work visits to the more dodgy parts of Leeds and don't want to risk leaving the Pickenflick locked up.
Pickenflick doesn't have rack or mudguard mounts, so if I need to cycle somewhere in rainy (or hot) weather, and be reasonably presentable when I get there, need guards & a rack for a pannier bag.
Have the Pickenflick. And two MTBs (1 FS, 1 HT SS)
So, having slept on it, think SS-ing it is the way to go.
What gearing would you recommend on rolling terrain, nothing too steep, urban roads & light trails? My SS MTB is 32/17 but would want to go higher than this, what's generally accepted as a road-ish starting point?
what’s generally accepted as a road-ish starting point?
Some good advice here
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/single-speed-ratio-for-gravel-cx/
that hack still looks like an expensive bike really. Not sure what you'd think of my year 2000 gt mtb commuter which i still love.
